What Exactly is (Age) Appropriate Dress Code?

“I don’t wear jerseys, I’m 30 plus, give me a crisp pair of jeans [fella] button ups …” ~Jay-Z – “What More Can I Say” (The Black Album)

When did it become “cool” to wear pants that you clearly bought in the junior’s section? When did it become “normal” to wear said pants below your butt and show the world varying amounts of your boxers (in bad cases boxer briefs) depending on how long your shirt is? When did it become “okay” to have to walk like you are carrying more than just your wallet in your back pocket? I don’t know about you, but to me, this latest fashion fad is TERRIDICULOUS! (Yes, you heard me!) This is an extreme example, but my question is, what is (age) appropriate dress code for an Adult-in-Training, and at what point should you let certain trends go?

For better or worse, your style and general outward appearance says a lot about you. It is the first impression you give to the world before they know the content of your character, the depth of your personality, or the fertility of your mind. Whether you are a label chaser or someone who purposely tries to look like they’re not trying (I personally don’t get that) we all make some sort of statement by what we wear. Given the profound weight we attach to such a superficial construct, how should an Adult-in-Training dress in order to “look” the part?

I am a long time lovH.E.R. of hip-hop and its innovative fashion and I definitely went through my phases with baggy jeans and t-shirts from the likes of Tommy Hilfiger/Nautica (flashback to middle school) and then Ecko, Mecca, Triple 5 Soul (high school/college). But nowadays, as a result of age, changes in taste and self-image, not to mention some um, tasteful “editing” of my closet done by girlfriend, fiancée, and now wife (yes at each stage she got bolder!) I now have a completely different wardrobe from what I had four years ago (we know how you ladies do. This sounds like another blog entry!). If I had the cash, I’d totally be a sneaker-head, but I still appreciate a fresh pair of kicks.
***Check out my girl Shelby's post, "Fresh Sneakers," also on this topic***

I’m 26 and comfortable with where I currently am fashion-wise, but I wonder, will my current wardrobe work for me when I’m 30? 35? When I’m a dad? In my experience, I don’t have a clear memory of my dad wearing sneakers when we weren’t on the tennis court. At what point do sneakers become purely athletic wear and no longer a fashion statement? When do loafers or some other more adult-looking shoes become my status quo? Should my jeans and my wardrobe become more “fitted” or dare I say more conservative as I grow older? I have it in my head sometimes that since I’m married…I should look a certain way. When I become a dad, I also somehow feel that I should look a certain way.

Now, this post is obviously written from a male perspective, but I think women are differently, if not less affected by this issue because there is so much more freedom/variety in constructing personal style (I could be wrong). I also think there may be more fluidity in so called (age) "appropriate" fashion allowing a 25 year old and 35 year old woman to have similar taste. The lines are definitely being blurred for men, but I think the paradigm wardrobe shifts are more dramatic as we age…

Fellow Adults-in-Training, what to you constitutes (age) appropriate dress code? Are we being too judgmental on the sagging pants trend? Should people be allowed to express themselves any way they want? How should style evolve with age if at all? Should what we wear even matter in relation to our age? What fashion trends do you feel HAVE TO be let go at different stages?

Peace,
A-i-T